1. Technical Field
Aspects of this document relate generally to key duplication. More specific implementations involve public use key cutting, key duplication and key vending systems for reproducing keys. Some specific implementations use a key blank carrier to assist in aligning a key blank with a key blank cutter to assist in accurately cutting the key blank.
2. Background Art
Conventionally, when a master key for opening a lock is duplicated, it is duplicated by first classifying the master key to be able to identify an appropriate key blank for the duplicate key, selecting the appropriate key blank to match the master key, placing the selected key blank in a key cutter, and cutting the bit pattern of the master key into a blade of the key blank. Methods such as tracer bars and image capture are known for use in identifying a master key bit pattern.
Conventional systems have required the operation skills of a trained worker to properly select the appropriate key blank. An example of an elaborate system used to assist a trained worker in selecting an appropriate key blank and appropriately positioning the appropriate key blank and master key for cutting is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,339 to Heredia et al., titled “Method and Apparatus for Aligning and Cutting Single-sided and Double Sided Keys.” In Heredia, a plurality of clamping units, each comprising its own clamp and cutter fixturing is provided. The trained worker selects an appropriate key blank and an appropriate clamping unit for the particular key blank and clamps the key blank into the unit. Then the trained worker couples the clamping unit with a cutting wheel for cutting. More recent master key identification systems, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,836,553 to Campbell et al., titled “Key Identification System,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, automatically identifies the appropriate key blank and indicates that number for key selection.
A recent key duplication system described in International Application Number PCT/US2007/024522 to Freeman, et al. titled “Fully Automatic Key Duplicating Machine with Automatic Key Model Identification System” sought to reduce the need for the operational skills of a trained worker by automatically identifying master keys and automatically cutting and dispensing a duplicate key from a limited selection of keys within the key duplication system. Another recent key duplication system described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,890,878 to Bass et al., titled “Object Identification System,” discloses a system that identifies an appropriate key blank by flashing a light adjacent the appropriate key blank on a product display next to a key blank cutter so that the user or a trained worker can select the appropriate key for insertion into the key blank cutter. Other systems require changing of clamps for different key blank models to enable secure positional clamping of the different key blank models in relation to the cutting wheel of a key blank cutter.
Each key blank type and model is a little bit, and sometimes a lot, different from the others in its relative dimensions and keyway dimensions and placements. As a result, efforts to eliminate the necessity for the operation skills of a trained worker has yielded difficulties in enabling a system to cut the wide variety of master key types and models accurately with little or no skill have yielded a relatively high rate of miscut keys for reasons such as an incorrect key blank being selected, a key blank being inserted backwards or not being inserted in far enough, and from a key blank being moved during cutting due to not being clamped securely. Each of these issues may result in a duplicate key being cut that does not match the master key and will not work in the lock. Many times, however, the user who cuts a key or even the trained worker who cuts a key is not aware that the duplicate key has an error until the user tries the key in the lock at home and is frustrated that another trip to the store is required to replace the miscut key.